Captive Witch

by September Stone

  My cheeks heat as I recall the way he looked at me as he stood close—too close to be polite. And I hadn’t stepped away. I’m sure I was just still too high on endorphins from my time with Calder, but part of me had very much wondered what it would feel like to have Poe’s hands exploring my curves.

  But that’s crazy. I barely know him. To want those touches from Calder makes sense. We have a history together. Part of me has always held out hope that one day we could be with each other like we were last night. Desiring something similar with Poe is nuts.

  But it doesn’t make the wanting any less acute.

  Besides gassing up the car, we only make one stop on our way to Twin Rivers. Poe enters the white brick structure alone and emerges fifteen minutes later with a paper bag filled with bottles of lotion, which he instructs us to rub all over ourselves.

  We do so in the gravel parking lot. I do my best to stand behind the car to offer myself a degree of protection if someone else should pull in, but my precaution proves unnecessary. Whatever this place is, it’s not a hot stop—at least not this time of day.

  Calder rubs the cream on my back without my having to ask, and I return the favor before offering to do likewise for the other three guys. Silas initially claims he can do it himself, but Poe insists he let me do it. According to him, even a few inches of skin not covered with the salve could lead to a shifter scenting us.

  What I don’t expect is how rubbing my hands over the guys’ backs kindles a slow burn deep in my core. It’s all I can do to keep from clenching my thighs together as Poe drives us toward Twin Rivers.

  It’s past midday before we arrive, and I know we’re near even before Poe pulls the car onto the shoulder of the tree-lined road and tells us we’ll be walking from here. It’s not just that the trees around us are suddenly taller and thicker. Something in the air is different. The magic humming in the earth and through the plants here is stronger, more potent.

  I don’t know if it’s the headiness of being smack in the middle of my element, or if the woods truly are thick with magic, but the greens and browns seem to welcome us only partway, as if they know we’re not here for a stroll through the woods. As my feet glide over the crackly underbrush, I wish for just a few sprigs of flowers—anything that might appear hopeful as the branches overhead do their best to choke out the sun.

  Barely ten minutes have passed when Silas asks how long before we’ll be meeting with Elowen.

  “A while,” Poe huffs without looking at him.

  “And we’re traveling all this way on foot why?”

  Poe rounds on him. “In case you missed it, Bryn’s still got a bounty out on her. From the elders here in Twin Rivers. The last thing we want is to draw attention to ourselves.”

  Silas tilts his head. “I thought that’s what your magic lotion potion was for—to keep us from being detected.”

  “It makes our scent difficult for shifters to track; it doesn’t make us invisible,” Poe sneers. “Believe me, when newcomers show up in town, the elders know about it. Driving in on the main road is a surefire way to make sure we never glimpse Elowen.”

  Silas holds the larger man’s gaze for a beat before shrugging. “Makes sense. Was it really so hard to explain that?”

  When Poe balls his fist, I step between them, placing a hand on Poe’s arm. His muscles relax under my fingers for a moment before tensing again. “Why don’t we keep going? We’ll never make it to her if we stand around arguing.”

  With a huff, Poe turns and continues leading us through the woods. “I’m still not convinced dealing with that witch won’t do more harm than good.”

  Taj scans the vicinity as if waiting for Elowen herself to leap out at us. “Should you really be talking about the great mage like that?”

  Poe snorts. “She knows what she is. I hope none of you are under the assumption we’re going to visit some sweet fairy godmother. Elowen doesn’t grant wishes out of the kindness of her heart. Her magic always has strings attached.”

  Icy dread laces itself around my insides as they talk. The only reason we’re in this situation is because of me. If Calder and Taj hadn’t been trying to save me save me—hell, if Poe hadn’t been trying to bring me in for the bounty—none of them would be in this mess now.

  Poe stops short, swiveling his head and scanning the trees. My senses go on high alert and I reach for the trickle of magic inside me, preparing to call on it if I have to.

  “What is it?” Taj asks in a harsh whisper. “Is someone coming?”

  “Is it Elowen?” Calder adds.

  Poe shushes them. “No. It’s a stream.” He lifts an arm, and I’m momentarily distracted by the way his corded muscles shift under the fabric of his black t-shirt. “About a quarter of a mile that way. We should stop there and refill our canteens. Maybe break for lunch. We’ve still got plenty of walking ahead of us.”

  Silas’ eyes flash and I get the sense he wants to argue, but he keeps his lips pressed in a tight line. I want to find this mage as much as the rest of them, but a brief rest sounds lovely. Although we haven’t been walking long, I’m still stiff from the long car ride. After a break where I can rest and recharge in this potently magical place, I’ll be more than ready to face whatever comes next.

  I hope.

  I feel more in touch with my magic now than I ever did while working spells for Mona. It’s as if before, my magic was nothing more than stick figures scrawled on a piece of notebook paper. Now, a riot of colors in rich acrylic paint unfurl on a canvas within me.

  Mona said I was one in a million, but I’m starting to wonder if she truly knew the extent of my abilities. Now that I’m out of her clutches, I’m eager to learn them for myself.

  The only sounds are those of our feet scuffling the underbrush and the twittering of birds and skittering of squirrels and chipmunks through dry leaves left over from last fall.

  We’re embarrassingly close before I finally hear the trickling of water. I make a mental note of just how acute Poe’s hearing is. Warmth creeps up my cheeks when I consider he may have heard Calder and me last night. But it’s not embarrassment that heats my skin, it’s something else—something I can’t quite put a name to.

  The stream is only a few feet wide and probably only half as deep, but the water is clear and moves swiftly over a bed of smooth stones.

  “This isn’t part of the Healing River, is it?” Silas asks, eying the brook warily.

  Poe hikes an eyebrow. “Why? Have you got a physical ailment you want to test your luck with?”

  I glance from one of them to the other. “What are you talking about?”

  A smile curves Calder’s lips as he sits on a fallen log beside the stream. “They say the Healing River can cure any illness—as long as it doesn’t have a magical root.” He pats the empty space beside him.

  I can’t help a swift glance at Taj before I sit beside Calder. Taj’s face is the same mask of indifference I saw earlier when Calder emerged from my bedroom. As Calder swings the pack off his back and begins pulling rations from it, I grope for something to say to fill the silence before it smothers me. “What about the other river? Does Elowen guard that one too?”

  Calder hikes an eyebrow. “The other river?”

  I shrug. “This place is called Twin Rivers. I assume that means there’s two.”

  “There were,” Poe says. “A long time ago. There was also a second mage named Casek, but he…” Poe’s brow furrows and he stills the way he did before when he heard the stream.

  The guys stop rummaging through their packs, still as rabbits in the presence of a predator.

  Seconds stretch out like miniature eternities before Poe cuts his gaze to me. “Hide.” When I don’t move, he gestures to the others. “All of you—hide. Go as quietly as you can.” He squints through the woods behind me. “Get behind that big, fallen tree. And don’t move once you’re there.”

  A million questions chase themselves through my mind, but I keep them all in. Calder springs
to his feet and grabs his pack before slipping his hand into mine and leading the way toward the spot Poe indicated.

  Every cracking twig sounds like an explosion as we creep through the woods, but nothing is louder than Poe splashing in the stream.

  He’s covering for us.

  By the time we make it to our hiding place, my heart is hammering so hard against my chest I’m afraid it’ll burst through. As I crouch behind the large, fallen tree between Calder and Taj, I struggle to keep my breathing even and quiet. I strain my ears to hear what’s happening back at the stream.

  Silas mutters something under his breath before reaching across Taj’s body and offering his hand, palm up. I stare at it before meeting his gaze, and when he urges me with is eyes, I slip my free hand into his.

  I’m not sure how long I can keep this up.

  The sound of Silas’ voice in my head almost makes me pull away. The way Calder jerks beside me, I wonder if he heard the words, too.

  Silas nudges Taj and tilts his head toward our connected hands. With a wary glance, Taj rests his hand atop mine. Once we’re all connected, Silas’ voice echoes in my head again.

  I’ve never tried this with more than one person, and I haven’t tried to share a second spell on top of this kind of link, either. But… Out loud, he murmurs something else, so quietly his words could be mistaken for a breeze through tree branches.

  Before I can process what’s happening, the sounds coming from the stream intensify as if someone has turned the volume up. But something besides Poe’s splashing fills my ears—it’s the staccato crunch that draws my attention.

  Footsteps.

  “Poe?”

  I jump at the voice. It sounds like the person speaking is directly on the other side of the tree we’re all pressed against. But the calm look on Silas’ face roots me to the reality of the situation. He’s using some kind of spell so we can hear what’s going on at the stream.

  “Hey, Harvey. What brings you out here?” Poe asks, his splashing in the water ceasing.

  “I was about to ask you the same thing. I thought you were out on assignment.”

  My muscles tense and Taj squeezes my knee with his free hand. The warmth of his palm is pleasant, but it does nothing to calm my nerves.

  “I’ve still got twenty-four hours before I’m due to check in with the elders. I’ll have the girl by then.” Poe’s tone is easy, like he really is telling the truth. For all I know, maybe he is. Turning me in might still be part of his plan—although I doubt Taj and Calder would let me go without a fight.

  “Not hanging out here, you won’t,” Harvey says. “What, you think you’re so good the target’s gonna find you?”

  When Poe speaks again, there’s an edge to his voice. “Do I critique your methods? What’s my record, Harvey? Do you really think you’ve got something to teach me?”

  Calder’s eye widen, although I can’t tell if he’s impressed or concerned. My heart beats double-time and sweat beads across my forehead. I don’t know who this other guy is, but I’m guessing he and Poe aren’t on the best terms. What happens if this guy decides to tag along with Poe or keep an eye on him from afar? According to Silas, all five of us have to be present for Elowen to remove our curse. We don’t have time to waste dodging another bounty hunter.

  “I wouldn’t waste my breath trying to teach you anything.” Harvey’s tone is acidic. “Is this what you do in your time away from the elders? Sit around in the forest?”

  “What the hell does it matter to you?” Poe snaps. “As long as I show up when I’m supposed to with who I’m supposed to, the elders don’t care how I spend my time.”

  “Unless you’ve decided to try your luck going rogue,” Harvey says. “There’s a rumor going around that you were planning to give up this life and try your hand at going on the run.”

  Poe snorts. “Where’d you hear something ridiculous like that?”

  “A buddy of mine was at Moonstone Tavern last night. Said he overheard someone who looked an awful lot like you going on about how he was going to stop wasting his life doing the elders’ bidding.”

  My throat tightens. Poe decided against taking me back to the elders when he first learned he was cursed, and the shifters who attacked us at the bar only did so because we’re the reason their buddy is going to die. Just how much did he confide in those four before we caught up with him? Poe can deny it all, but something tells me Harvey has no interest in taking Poe’s word for anything.

  “If I was going to run, why the hell would I be back here where any idiot could find me?”

  “Are you calling me an idiot?” Harvey’s aggressive tone makes my stomach twist.

  “Take it like you want,” Poe grumbles.

  “That’s it, asshole.” Feet scuffle against the ground and I grip Silas’ hand to keep me rooted to the spot. “I’m taking you back. The elders can figure out what to do with you.”

  This guy can’t take Poe. What if the elders side with this Harvey guy and lock Poe up? According to Silas, all of us need to be present for Elowen to break the curse.

  I force a thought through the link between me and the guys: Stay here.

  Before the plan has fully formed in my mind, I spring up and vault over the fallen log.

  Harvey has Poe in a choke hold, but that’s not the reason Poe’s eyes bulge when they land on me. Harvey doesn’t notice me until I’m barely a yard from them.

  “Got yourself into trouble, I see,” I say, trying to keep my tone light and chiding. “I told you we shouldn’t have come here until tomorrow.”

  Harvey’s eyebrows hike as he studies me. “Wait. You’re…”

  “Bryn,” I supply, smiling.

  Poe takes Harvey’s momentary distraction as an opportunity to break out of his grip. I reach out and grab his hand, pulling Poe until he’s flush against me. Heat pulses through my body at every point our bodies connect. The sensations make it difficult for me to think straight.

  I pin my smile back in place. “Poe, is this one of your bounty hunter friends?”

  Poe blinks, his expression utterly baffled. But in a flash, he catches on and wraps an arm around my back. “I wouldn’t call Harvey a friend, exactly. But he’s in service to the elders, too.”

  “What the hell’s going on here?” Harvey asks, his gaze hard. “Are you bringing in a target or your damn girlfriend?”

  I press in closer to Poe. “Maybe a little bit of both.” I force out a laugh that I hope sounds natural. “Look, Harvey, is it? I know I made some awful potions on Mona’s command, but it was never my intention to hurt anybody. Poe says the elders are really understanding and if I explain my case, they’ll see I’m not responsible for their friend’s death. And I can help them find the person who’s really responsible—Mona Ward.”

  Harvey’s face twists in confusion. He must know as well as Poe does that the elders don’t see in shades of gray like that, but I hope he believes it’s a lie Poe might tell if it would benefit him.

  I meet the man’s gaze, leaning forward conspiratorially. “I’m not sure if you know this, but I’ve been in solitary confinement for years. We still have some time before Poe needs to take me back, so we thought we’d make the most of it.” I brush my hand down Poe’s cheek in case there’s any doubt about what I’m implying.

  Poe’s eyes dip closed at the touch. I silently applaud his acting skills. It takes a few seconds before he turns to Harvey. “So, you see, she and I are going to have a little bit of fun before she turns herself in. I’m sure you understand.”

  Harvey swallows, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “I understand, all right. I understand that this witch has clouded your mind.”

  He’s in motion before the words are out of his mouth. A bright flash fills my vision, and my muscles go slack. As I sink into unconsciousness, the last thing I hear is Harvey calling for backup.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Poe

  My head is throbbing when I wake up. The warmth of the sunlight streamin
g in from the tall, narrow window to my right contrasts with the chill of the marble floor below.

  I know where I am before I take in the whole room. I’ve seen it plenty of times from the hallway. The waiting room. In the elders’ mansion.

  Harvey. That fucking asshole sold me out.

  Bryn rises from her spot on a stiff-backed floral-patterned couch and crouches beside me. “Good. You’re awake.”

  “What the hell were you thinking?” The words scrape against my dry throat.

  Bryn springs up again and crosses to a silver drink cart along the wall. She selects a cut crystal tumbler and pours in a healthy measure of water from the glass pitcher beside it. “I’m sorry,” she murmurs, pressing the cup into my hand. “I thought I could help.”

  I want to rail against her reckless decision, but the fact is that whether she’d stayed in place or not, I probably would’ve ended up back here. Harvey has had it out for me for years. I’ve been sent out to recover targets he’s failed to acquire one too many times. It doesn’t surprise me that he’d take the first opportunity to make me look bad in front of the elders.

  “Now that we’re awake, I’m sure we’ll get to talk to the elders soon.” She bites her lower lip as she reclaims her spot on the couch. “We can explain about the curse and how we need Elowen to break it. And…” She takes in a deep breath, her shoulders rising and falling as she exhales. “And once Elowen breaks the curse, I’ll come back here. I’ll give them my word.”

  I chuckle as I get my feet under me. The world doesn’t tilt too bad, which I take as a good sign. “Now that they’ve got you here, there’s no way the elders are going to let you walk out.”